Representatives of the commercial banks within the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) and Agri SA recently met to discuss matters of mutual interest pertaining to the financing of agriculture in South Africa.

Please click Agri SA and Agbiz Joint Media Release to peruse press statement.

Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson was the keynote speaker of the CEO Forum Plenary meeting held at St George's Conference Centre outside Pretoria on Friday, 17th of August 2012.

The Minister emphasized the importance of the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors to the economy of the country, and also the critical roles the sectors play in employment and food security.  To grow these sectors it was necessary for the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to engage formally and constructively with the private sector on strategic issues and constraints in the industry at highest level through the CEO Forum. It is through such engagement that infrastructure development in the rural areas has now been given a top priority by government through the Presidential Infrastructure Co-ordination Commission and significant investments will soon follow.

Dr John Purchase, as current chairperson of the CEO Forum, in his opening address indicated that the CEO Forum, to the frustration of the private sector, had for various reasons not functioned optimally over the past two years, but that a better foundation for engagement had now been established with the Minister's intervention. Please click to peruse opening address by Dr John Purchase, as well as the CEO Forum Meeting agenda.